fandomhigh | Ethics [Tuesday, January 19, 2nd period]

"Today we talk about something called the Golden Rule, a concept which unites many of the separate religions on this planet," Anakin began as he leaned against his desk and stared around the classroom. "It sounds altruistic: 'do unto others as you would have done unto you', but there seem to be a few logical flaws in it. What if you don't mind getting poked in the stomach? Does it follow that you could wander around aimlessly poking people? What if you don't see anything wrong with stealing? Or killing? Or hating entire groups of people on principle? If the practical application is supposed to be you randomly help people because they could be good, wouldn't the opposite be that you could randomly harm people because they might be evil?"

He shrugged. "I suppose the Golden Rule could be broken down to 'be nice to people, and they'll be nice to you' but out here in the real world, we all know it doesn't exactly work like that, and the concept could also be reinterpreted as 'it doesn't bother me, so why does it bother you?' Is this a case of aiming for an ideal and hoping that it will cause a ripple effect of positive things, or something overly simplistic that taken to its logical extreme renders itself useless?"

He smiled. "I like to ask nice, easy questions."

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Take notes! Hope that Anakin isn't going to expect you to remember all of those questions...

"If the practical application is supposed to be you randomly help people because they could be good, wouldn't the opposite be that you could randomly harm people because they might be evil? Can the Golden Rule be reinterpreted as 'it doesn't bother me, so why does it bother you?' Is this a case of aiming for an ideal and hoping that it will cause a ripple effect of positive things, or something overly simplistic that taken to its logical extreme renders itself useless?"

Pick one of his questions, answer it, and start an argument with a classmate! Mmm. Messy threads.

Hello, Griff!

Hello, Anakin!

La!

Layla Miller

Bruce Wayne

Dan Humphrey

"The concept of the Golden Rule is one of simple reciprocity," Layla said resting her chin on her hand. "Essentially all people deserve to have just treatment and a responsibility to ensure justice to others. This means you treat everyone, even the people you can't stand, with equal consideration."

Then she shrugged.

"Of course you might get screwed over. But at least you treated people nicely."

Griffin O'Conner

Griff was over at his desk, grumbling something about people who treat you like shit first not deserving to be given any consideration.

Maybe later he'd go start something with strangers, but until he did, they were welcome to overhear his mutterings.

Leia Organa

"It's overly simplistic and misses the point entirely," Bruce said. "If you're going to bother treating people well, you shouldn't do it on the off-chance that they'll respond well. You should do it because it's right. If they become better people because of it, then you've truly done something worthwhile, but that shouldn't be the reason you do it."

Arthur Pendragon

Andy Gallagher

"I think it's less a suggestion of a way to live and more a description of what generally happens," Andy said. "Karma. Like the way good moods are usually contagious and so are bad moods. And no, it doesn't happen that way every time, but that would make everything too predictable, I think."

Calvin

"It's basically a karmic protection racket," Calvin said. "Be nice to people or the universe'll get you. Theoretically."

Nobody Owens

"It sounds like a case of paying it forward to me," said Bod. He'd heard the rule before but never labeled as golden. It just seemed like a good way to live. Silas, he thought, would call it simple respect and Bod agreed with him. "If I'm nice to you, maybe you'll be encouraged to be nice or helpful to someone else. I don't generally think it's a rule but optimistic hopefulness on how people should act. It's not always going to work and I'm fine with that. Not everyone is a good person."

"You treat people well because it's the right thing to do," Leia said. "Not because you want to be treated well in return. You can hope for that, but it shouldn't be the reason for your actions. Justice and fairness are the reasons, not just reciprocity."

Illyria

"It is a way of life fit only for sheep," Illyria stated flatly, no so much disgusted by the idea as simply unimpressed. "Those who have no care for their own safety or the likelihood of betrayal by those who don't follow the same path."

Jacob Black

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Ethics [Tuesday, January 19, 2nd period]

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